22-05-2025
Netflix movie racks up over 33 million views – but not everyone is convinced
Sophie-May Williams Published May 21, 2025 3:23pm Link is copied Comments If your idea of a perfect film involves ex-cons, James Bond-esque stunts and a 'will they or won't they' romantic line, Netflix's 'Bad Influence' might be for you. The 2025 Spanish movie, originally titled Mala influencia, has been a hit for the platform since its release earlier this month, racking up 33.2 million views. But such figures have not only catapulted it to number one on Netflix's most-watched films chart in the non-English section, it has also taken the lead by almost eight million views, ahead of Exterritorial (Picture: Netflix) So, what's all the fuss about? Based on a Wattpad story, a website where people can read and submit fiction, Bad Influence follows the unlikely duo of wealthy school girl and socialite, Reese, and the troubled orphaned ex-con, Eros. When Reese experiences a stalker, her father, Bruce, hires Eros to be her bodyguard - much to the teen's initial dismay (Picture: Netflix) Not to give too much away (and what you can already discern from the trailer), Reese tries to distance herself from Eros, worried that his presence is going to affect her popularity. Eros isn't the biggest fan of the set-up either, asking Reese if she really thinks his goal in life is to follow her everywhere (Picture: Netflix) However, as the film progresses - and the pair spend more time together - Reese can't ignore her feelings for Eros, despite her telling him his 'bad boy' persona is outdated. The chemistry is also obvious to Eros, too. But due to their differing backgrounds, and the fact that Eros was hired to protect Reese, not fall in love with her, will their relationship withstand the challenges they face? (Picture: Netflix) Even though Bad Influence is one of Netflix's trending films, its reviews aren't as positive. OnRotten Tomatoes, a review aggregation site, people criticised 'poorly' written characters, and thought the chemistry between Reese and Eros, played by Eléa Rochera and Alberto Olmo, could have been better. Others said the 'poor dubbing that often plagues foreign films' was partly to blame (Picture: Netflix) 'Paper thin plot line,' one person said, adding that the 'ending defies logic.' Another dubbed it as 'mediocre', suggesting that it could have been better if Eros's backstory was more prevalent. They said: 'I wish it was more intense and exciting but it came out simple. Recommend it to anyone who has nothing to watch.' On X, a different user suggested the film didn't hit the mark because the original story 'wasn't the literary work of the century to have the best adaptation' (Picture: Netflix) However, they said that 'what Netflix did with the movie is hair-raising.' Another viewer loved the movie just for Olmo, while someone else said that Mirela Balić's performance as Peyton was 'great'.They added that they wished her role had been bigger (Picture: Getty Images) For the against camp, another Rotten Tomatoes user said: 'It was like a puzzle with pieces from all different types of puzzles that just didn't fit at all. The storyline just wasn't strong, the characters [were] not properly developed & [there was] no great chemistry. It's like it tried to be a movie similar to some other great ones but it just severely missed the mark. Very disappointing' (Picture: Getty Images) Another viewer described it as a 'stereotypical romance movie,' featuring a 'bad boy and the good girl.' They continued: 'I felt the two main characters didn't have chemistry at all, and their interactions were lacklustre at most. It's a cheesy movie to watch with your girlfriends over take out and a bottle of wine and pretty much make fun of it the whole time. Yeah, that pretty much sums it up.' And finally - to end on a positive note - someone else penned: 'Good films make people happy. As a young woman, this film makes my day!' Have you seen this movie? Let us know your thoughts in the comments (Picture: Getty Images)
